by Becky Biggs
“Now then, let’s get ye dressed,” Viola interrupted, returning to the girls with deep blue gowns covered in tiny yellow silk flowers. Once she had them appropriately attired and their hair bound up, she ushered them out the door to head to dinner.
As they passed the queen’s chambers, Emerald and Maple heard raised voices coming from Queen Willow’s room. Emerald’s mother and godmother sounded almost like they were arguing. Looking around and finding the hallway empty, Emerald and Maple crept to the door to listen. It wasn’t fully shut, so they could still see some of the room.
“I’m begging you to help her—help us,” the queen pleaded as she wept in Elyria’s arms. “She’s such a fighter! I’m worried that she’s never going to calm down and act like a queen. And then what prince will want her? Our kingdom will be doomed. Emerald will be doomed!”
“Hush, child,” responded Elyria gently. “Everything will be just fine. I promise.”
The queen sniffed and looked up at Elyria with red eyes and a tear-streaked face. “What if you used a little magic? Nothing much—perhaps just a happiness spell?” Queen Willow paused uncertainly. “Make her happy to be a normal princess?”
Out in the hallway, Emerald and Maple stared at each other, shocked. Emerald raised her hand as if to push the door open and interrupt the conversation, but Maple put her own hand on Emerald’s arm and shook her head. Emerald nodded and stayed put as tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Emerald is the way she was meant to be,” Elyria responded.
“Remember, just because something is different, it doesn’t make it bad.”
The queen began pacing in and out of view.
“Doesn’t make it bad?” the queen sputtered, her face as red as the cherry-colored gown she was wearing. “Are you serious? The different you warned us about was Emerald? You knew all along and you didn’t see fit to better prepare us for her . . . her . . . differences?”
“My dear, please calm down and think rationally.” Elyria approached the queen and put a hand on her arm. “Is having a princess who isn’t afraid to stand up for others really such a bad thing?” She gave Queen Willow a meaningful look. “I recall another young princess who used to be quite energetic as well.”
“Yes, and then I learned what my responsibilities were and how to act like the queen I was meant to be. Emerald is our only child. So much rides on her ability to reign.” The queen’s shoulders suddenly sagged and the energy seemed to drain from her. “Please, please help us—help Emerald!”
“I’m sorry. I really am, but there’s nothing I can do.” Elyria tried to take the queen’s hands, but Queen Willow pushed her away.
“If you don’t want to help Emerald—to be a godmother to her—then leave,” Queen Willow spat bitterly. “I don’t want to see your face around here again.”
“Willow, darli—” the old woman started, but the queen suddenly snapped into full fury.
“Get. Out. NOW!” she demanded coldly, pointing at the door. Emerald and Maple gasped and threw themselves back at the wall. There was a moment of silence before the sound of Elyria’s footsteps drew closer to the door. Emerald and Maple looked around desperately for a hiding spot, but there was no time to flee. The door opened and Emerald’s godmother stepped out, the sound of the queen’s sobs following behind her. Elyria saw Emerald and Maple right away but held a finger to her lips as she closed the door. She ushered the two friends a little farther up the hallway before speaking.
“Emerald, did y— How much did you hear?” Elyria asked, looking flustered and very unlike her usual composed self.
“I heard it all,” Emerald responded, her shoulders slumping to match her fallen face. “I didn’t realize I was such a disappointment to Mama and Daddy.”
“I’m so sorry you had to witness that,” Elyria said, embracing her goddaughter. “Your mother’s wishes—they come from a good place. She doesn’t understand you now, but she will.” Elyria took the princess’s face in her hands and looked deep into her goddaughter’s green eyes. “Don’t change. Whatever happens, stay true to yourself,” she murmured. Then she turned and, reaching into a bag at her side, pulled out a thick, leather-bound book. “Read this when you feel like no one understands you.”
“What is it?” Emerald asked, turning the book around in her hands. The cover was simple with nothing more than a rose embossed on it. Emerald flipped it open and inhaled the scent of old paper. It smelled wonderful.
“This is about your great-grandmother,” Elyria responded.
“I think you’ll find a kindred spirit in her. Don’t let anyone see you with it. It’s forbidden to talk about Queen Ellyn. Now, I must go.” Elyria pulled her blue cloak out of her bag and pulled it around her shoulders.
“No, you can’t!” Emerald cried. “I’m sure Mama didn’t mean it!”
Elyria looked at Emerald sadly as she fastened the cloak around her neck. “I’m sure she didn’t either. Still, I will honor her wishes. There are some things that need to be worked out between a mother and a daughter.”
She bent and kissed Emerald on the head, whispering as she did so:
“A wish for you, my dear sweet child, With lovely looks and spirit wild, Your future is bright, you will see When the time is right, come to me.”
Elyria then turned to Maple with a solemn look on her face.
“You take good care of our Emerald.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Maple answered seriously, bowing to Elyria. Impish as she may be, Maple had honest respect for Elyria.
“Now go to your mother,” Elyria said, turning back to Emerald. “She needs you. Sometimes you must fight a battle with compassion rather than physical strength.”
Emerald nodded and gave her godmother one more hug. She and Maple watched Elyria wave her wand and vanish.
“I should face her alone,” she said to Maple. The imp nodded. Emerald turned and walked back to her mother’s room as Maple scurried away to give the princess some privacy.
When Emerald opened the door, she saw the queen still crying on her bed. She felt a pit in her stomach. Softly she tiptoed over to the bed where she climbed up on the tall mattress and wrapped her arms around her mother.
“I’m sorry, Mama. I’ll try harder to be a better princess.” Emerald’s voice was tiny.
“Emerald?” the queen said, startled. “Oh no! You weren’t supposed to . . . Did you hear all of that?”
Emerald nodded timidly and her mother let out a huge gush of air, her shoulders drooping. She gathered her only child to her in a fierce hug and stroked her hair.
“I’m so sorry. I love you very much.” She struggled to find her next words. “My mother . . . well you know Grandmother. She was very strict about the way a queen should behave. She didn’t think I’d ever be able to run a kingdom. After I married your father, I thought she’d be proud. It wasn’t good enough. Then she wanted me to have a child. When you were finally born, I thought—at last! Yet still she treats me like I’m failing. I try not to do the same to you, but I think I’m failing there too.”
Emerald wasn’t sure how to respond, so she held her mother even tighter. They sat in their embrace for a long time not saying anything. Eventually they let go and the queen sighed.
Emerald looked at her mother and thought about her godmother’s recommendation about compassion. “We’ll figure it out, Mama,” she said, smiling. “I promise.”
Chapter Five
DAYDREAMS AND NIGHTMARES
“Rise and shine!”
Emerald groaned as she felt herself being shaken gently awake by Viola. Maple, who was buried deep within the warm, fluffy bedcovers next to her grumbled and rolled over. She was not a morning imp.
“Up late reading again?” Viola asked, nodding at Emerald’s book, which had fallen to the floor.
“Er, yes.” Emerald quickly jumped out of bed and stuffed the book deep in the drawer in her bedside table. Viola cocked an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. The past few nights Emerald had sta
yed up reading the book her godmother gave her until the candle next to her bed burned out. She felt guilty absorbing the text on the yellowed pages of the book, but she couldn’t put it down. Why was it forbidden to talk about Queen Ellyn?
The last passage she read before falling asleep the night before was playing over and over in her head this morning.
Queen Ellyn faced the mighty dragon with nothing more than a bow and arrow. She was just fifteen years old, but she was determined to save her kingdom. The dragon advanced on her, opening its mouth as it drew close. Queen Ellyn remained steady. She drew her bow and fired.
Maple startled Emerald out of her thoughts as she stirred in bed and grumbled, “What day is it?”
“It is Tuesday and it is nearly time for your first lesson,” Viola chirped as she pulled clean dresses out of their wardrobe. “Get moving, young ladies. I brought breakfast for ye both. Hurry and ye might still get a bite in.”
The girls scrambled to get dressed and gulp down some hot porridge before scurrying to the castle classroom. Today’s first lesson was diplomacy. Emerald liked her instructor, Master Percy, but she found diplomacy incredibly boring.
“So, if you are introduced to the prince of Bengdu, how are you to greet him?” Master Percy jabbed his stick at a spot on a map plastered to the wall.
“Curtsey and offer my hand for him to kiss,” Emerald responded, stifling a yawn as her instructor droned on about the proper way to greet royalty from neighboring kingdoms. She could barely keep her eyes open. Her instructor eyed her warily.
Emerald forced a smile and tried to look interested, but suddenly the strangest thing happened. Master Percy’s face began to melt like a candle. A drip of it fell and hit the desk in front of her, causing Emerald to yank her hand away quickly. Emerald shrieked.
“Ugh! Master Percy, are you okay?” She stared horrified at the waxy, flesh-colored puddle in front of her. Then she looked back up at her teacher. His once-human face was now scaly and green. A red, forked tongue darted out from between his thin lips. She tried to push her chair away from the desk but found her legs unwilling to cooperate.
“Wha . . . what happened to you?” Emerald gasped. A cold sweat was forming on her back. She looked around to see if Maple saw what was going on. The imp was absorbed in a book in the corner.
“I’ll ask the questions around here,” the reptilian instructor hissed. “Where is it?”
“Where is what?” Emerald looked hard at Maple, willing her to look up. The lizard slammed his hand on the desk in front of her. Startled, Emerald turned back to him.
“Don’t play coy with me, little girl,” he replied, his yellow eyes darting back and forth and his tail flicking. “You know what I want. Where is your father’s crown?”
“On his head, I suppose.” Emerald looked around for the quickest escape route. How was Maple oblivious to what was happening? “Why do you want it?”
“Not too sharp, are you?” The lizard rolled his eyes. “Why do I want it? Because it lets you see the future.”
Emerald’s eyes widened in surprise. Her father had a magic crown?
“Of course. Why would he tell a simple princess about the crown?” the reptile muttered. “Well, no matter. You can still show me where he keeps it.”
“I don’t think so.” Emerald took charge of her body, standing up and shoving her desk back at her instructor. It caught him in the stomach. He doubled over but was too quick for Emerald to get away. The lizard grabbed her arm with cold fingers and dug in tight.
“What did I say about asking questions?” The lizard glared at her. “If you don’t help me, I’m going to eat you bit by bit. Starting with this arm.”
He opened his jaws, revealing a set of razor-sharp teeth. Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth onto her skin. Emerald shrieked.
“Maple!”
The little imp didn’t even flinch. How was she so oblivious to what was doing on? Emerald looked around desperately for something to defend herself. Nothing. Just books and paper. Her quill had fallen to the ground, out of reach. She wished she had Queen Ellyn’s bow and arrow. What would her great-grandmother do in this situation?
The lizard’s mouth drew closer and closer to her arm. She could feel his hot, rancid breath on her skin. Emerald squeezed her eyes shut. She steadied herself for the piercing pain of his fangs meeting her flesh. This was it.
“And if you are introduced to the princess of Curelia?” the lizard instructor asked.
“What?” Emerald’s eyes shot open. She found herself staring at her instructor whose lizard appearance had miraculously returned to normal.
“I asked how you would act if you were introduced to the princess of Curelia.”
“Curtsey and offer my hand for him to kiss,” Emerald replied a bit shakily, trying to calm herself down. Maple, who was still in the corner reading The History of Medina and snacking on grapes, snickered. Oh, now she’s paying attention, Emerald thought in annoyance.
“The princess? You would give your hand to a princess to kiss? Emerald, you are a million miles away today,” sighed the elderly teacher. He ran his hands through his grey hair as he regarded the princess with concern on his face. Was she getting sick? He’d heard rumor of a bad illness making its rounds in the kingdom. “Let’s finish our lessons early today,” he said gently. “I think you could use a little fresh air.”
Emerald looked up, startled. “Really? I mean, yes . . . yes, I could absolutely use some fresh air. I promise I’ll study extra hard tonight! C’mon, Maple!” Emerald slammed her Book of Common Courtesies closed and raced out the door before her instructor could change his mind. Maple was close on her heels.
The instructor sighed again and slowly straightened up the desk where they were studying before making his way to the king’s chambers. He knocked on the intricately carved oak door that closed the chambers off from a large hallway and gave his name to the page who announced his arrival and let him in.
“Percy!” exclaimed the king warmly, embracing the man who had once been his own tutor. “I’m sorry we haven’t had much time to catch up lately. We’ve had some trouble between our human and magical residents.”
The king began pacing and running his hands through his thick red hair. Streaks of white were becoming visible in the king’s normally vibrant mane.
“Seems some of our human residents don’t like their neighbors from Eseland,” continued King Argos in a voice rife with stress. “They’ve been demanding we shut the border again. You think everyone would be used to each other by now. Our humans don’t trust the magic crea—Creatures? Folks? Not really sure what is the proper word to describe them. They aren’t actually human, now are they?”
“No, sire,” Percy acknowledged. “Perhaps ‘citizens’ would be a more appropriate term?”
“Hmm.” King Argos furrowed his brow in thought. “Yes, that might just work. Citizens! Thank you, Master Percy. You always know just what to say. They don’t trust the Eseland citizens because they are different, which they say is bad. Makes my head hurt trying to think of how to make peace between everyone. But listen to me ramble. How can I help you, man? Give me some good news. How’s my darling daughter doing with her studies?”
“Well, sire, she is bright and picks things up very quickly,” Percy responded.
The king nodded proudly.
“Normally she is an industrious student,” Percy continued.
“Today, well, today she seemed very distant. It got me thinking—sire, forgive me, but there’s rumor of a sickness going around. Many believe the, erm, citizens of Eseland brought it.”
King Argos cocked a furry red eyebrow and Percy added quickly, “It’s probably nothing. Perhaps a bad night of sleep. And I don’t mean to alarm Your Majesty. I just thought it might be prudent to have the royal physician pay her a visit. Just to ensure nothing serious is going on.”
“Emerald, sick?” King Argos said, looking panicked. “Clancy!” he called to his page. “Clancy, get
the queen. And the physician. And find Emerald. Right away!”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Percy said worriedly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. It’s probably nothing.”
“Yes, er, yes,” the king responded, distracted. “You are dismissed.”
The instructor turned to leave. “Oh, Percy,” King Argos said suddenly. “Thank you.”
Percy nodded and headed out the door. He hoped he was wrong about Emerald being ill. The sickness that was going around the kingdom had taken many lives. If Emerald became its next victim, the king and queen would be devastated.
Chapter Six
A ROYAL INSPECTION
Emerald dragged her feet as she made her way to her parent’s chambers. Was she in trouble for her lessons ending early? Percy had told her she could go outside. Still, maybe she should have tried harder today.
Maple prodded her friend playfully, trying to cheer her up as they slowly walked through the castle halls. “Look at the bright side—at least you didn’t get eaten by a giant lizard.”
Emerald groaned. “I almost wish I had.”
“That’s silly,” Maple responded. “Anyway, what’s the worst they could do?”
“I don’t know!” Emerald fretted, clenching and unclenching her sweaty hands. “They could take away my horse or . . . or
. . . or send me to live with my grandmother!”
The two of them shivered. The queen’s mother wasn’t exactly what you’d call a warm person. She visited the castle once a year to inspect how her granddaughter was being raised. She liked to bark orders and criticize how Emerald and her mother behaved. Emerald would rather be forced to take sewing lessons all day every day than be sent to live with her grandmother.
When they reached her parents’ chambers, Emerald asked Maple to stay back. “I should do this on my own,” she said nervously. “I don’t want them blaming you.”
Maple nodded. “I’ll wait for you right here.” She leaned against the stone wall and slid down until she was sitting.
